Friday, February 27, 2015

Who To Know for the TWB 100: Fred Yehi

Another year is in the books, so another round of evaluating and ranking wrestlers is looming on the horizon. The TWB 100 will be happening again this year, and while the announcement will not come until the first or second week of March, it doesn't mean you don't have to worry about your ballot until then. Perhaps you feel secure in your ballot right now, but odds are, wrestlers exist who are off your radar that could use a little studying up upon. I am here to help you with your homework in that department.

Wrestler: Fred Yehi

Who Is He?: Yehi came up as a backyard wrestler before turning his hobby/pastime into a legitimate career. He blew up down in the Atlanta area, competing mostly for Platinum Championship Wrestling before branching out into other parts of the state of Georgia. Yehi has gotten some attention from companies like Beyond Wrestling and NWA Smoky Mountain.

What's His Deal?: Back in 2012 when I first took notice of him, his bread and butter was working amazingly stiff, amazingly fast counters and mat grappling in some of the most rough-and-tumble matches against a variety of opponents. He's actually turned heel in many promotions and hybridized his game to include a lot of theatrical, highly demonstrative gestures and cheap shot moves, which has made his wrestling style even more accessible and entertaining.

Why You Should Consider Him For Your Ballot: Yehi is one of the best individual performers going right now, and he may be the most talented, charismatic, and gifted performer not currently under contract with either WWE or New Japan Pro Wrestling. His versatility makes him accessible to anyone looking for any style, and his new turn as an overstuffed egomaniac has added several new wrinkles to his wrestling that not only enhances his own performance but puts over the other guy like gangbusters. You will have to put in work to find his matches, but that searching will reward you the minute you click play. He's a seminal talent, and his 2014 was sublime.